1.

0 Introduction

Local arrangements for dealing with Sex Offenders

began in September 1998, with the introduction of
the Sex Offenders Act 1997. In May 1999 a
complimentary but separate Public Protection
Protocol (PPP) was agreed between the partner
agencies to provide risk assessment and
management procedures for those dangerous
offenders not catered for by the Sex Offender
arrangements.
These arrangements formalised the existing
partnerships for sharing information for the
assessment and management of sex and other
dangerous offenders between the following
agencies:
● Cheshire Constabulary
● National Probation Service
● Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Social Services
● North and South Cheshire Health and NHS
Hospital Trusts
● Youth Offending Teams
● Education
● Housing
● Prison Service
The Public Protection Protocol gives substantial
information on the roles of the multi agency
partners and details of the way in which Multi
Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPP)
operate. This is a public document, it can be
seen in public libraries in Cheshire, is
accessible on the Police and Probation Service
websites or available in hard copy from the
contact points identified in Annex ‘A’.
Local Points of Contact
Details are contained in Annex ‘A’.
2.0 Summary of Roles and Responsibilities
Joint Assessment
The Police and Probation Service in
Cheshire have a responsibility to make
arrangements for the joint assessment of
risks posed by people sentenced to 12
months imprisonment or more for violent or
sexual offences.
All sex offenders in this category are liable
to registration under the Sex Offenders Act.
Adult male offenders are assessed using
the Risk Matrix 2000 framework (a
structured assessment that predicts the
likelihood of a sex offender committing a
further sexual offence) and discussed in
Sex Offender meetings on a monthly basis.
Female and adolescent Registered Sex
Offenders are also considered and
assessed at these monthly meetings.
All prisoners serving 12 months or more for
violent offences are assessed by the
supervising Probation Officer using Risk
Matrix 2000 (violence), a similar
assessment to the one described above for
sexual offenders. Any assessment of high
risk is shared with the police and very high
3.0 Outline of the Arrangements Made
Sex Offenders
Once an offender is required to register
under the Act, notification is forwarded to
a central police point located within the
Force Intelligence Bureau. An initial
intelligence package for use at the risk
assessment and management meeting is
prepared.
Each offender is subject to a risk
assessment based upon the Matrix 2000
model and is categorised according to
the level of risk posed. This assessment
determines the frequency of review on a
specific individual and informs the
decision making for the management
plan.
risk considered for MAPPP meetings using
the agreed protocol.
Joint Management
Registered Sex Offenders are dealt with by
way of at least monthly Sex Offender Risk
Assessment Meetings, chaired by the
Police Divisional Crime Manager. The
standing attendance at these meetings
includes the Local Probation Manager and
representatives from Social Services and
the Youth Offending Teams. Other partner
agencies are invited to attend as required.
In relation to other dangerous people, Multi-
Agency Public Protection Panel meetings
are convened by the Probation Public
Protection Manager as and when they are
required, throughout the County, and
always involve the Police Crime Managers
and at least one other partner agency
manager who are or may become involved
with the dangerous person.
Roles and Responsibilities
Social Services have been involved with
the development of both protocols and play
Meetings are held at least monthly with
the core agencies and other agencies
are represented as required to share
information, determine the management
plan and decide who will carry out each
action. The purpose of these meetings
is the safe management of offenders
within the community. The frequency of
review is determined by the level of risk.
Other Dangerous Offenders
When any partner agency considers that
a person, with whom they are
professionally in contact, poses an
unacceptably high risk, they may request
that a MAPPP meeting be convened.
This is co-ordinated centrally by the
Probation Public Protection Manager
a key role in the area of child protection,
mental health and vulnerable adults.
Health in its various guises played a
significant part in the development of both
protocols and attends meetings where their
specific input is required.
The Youth Offending Teams since their
inception have played a full part in relation
to young offenders.
The Chief Housing Officers took
responsibility for providing attendance at
strategy and operational meetings, and
take the lead role in co-ordinating the other
housing providers.
Local Authority Education Departments
have a specific role to play in relation to
young offenders still in education and the
protection of children from adult predators.
who arranges the risk assessment
meetings by inviting all appropriate
partner agencies.
If the person is an offender, the
Probation Service will carry out a formal
risk assessment. For others the
determination of risk level is made by the
referring agency. A Senior Manager from
the referring agency will chair the
meetings. These meetings are set up as
requested and will continue at agreed
intervals for as long as the risk posed is
deemed unacceptable. The action plans
from such meetings will complement the
supervision plans where the person is
under the supervision of the Probation
Service or the Youth Offending Team.
The criteria, which have to be met before
a MAPPP meeting will be held, are:-
● The likelihood of harm to another
person occurring is considered to be
high.
● The level of harm to that person would
be potentially life threatening.
● There is a substantial chance of the
harm being carried out.
● The potential victim is known
specifically or by type.
● The person cannot be managed alone
by the referring agency.
4.0 Strategic Management Arrangements
For both Sex Offenders and Other
Dangerous People there are separate
strategic management groups. Partner
agencies are represented on both
groups by senior managers who are able
to commit resources, commission
training and promote good practice.
5.0 Disclosure
The core partner agencies are
committed to sharing information in order
to protect the public.
Within both protocols, partner agencies
reaffirm commitment and trust and
recognise that where there is an
identified level of harm to a specific
person or the wider public, their
protection takes precedence over
individual confidentiality.
● The person cannot be managed by
the existing partner arrangements.
● There is no other partnership
procedure or protocol that would
normally manage the person.
MAPPP meetings are chaired by a
senior manager from the agency
requesting them. Each agency commits
appropriate resources to the
management plan. All actions are time
bound and are reviewed at subsequent
meetings. All MAPPP meetings are
minuted to an approved format and
circulated only to those persons in
attendance and anyone else specifically
identified by the meeting.
Each strategic group has an annual
business plan, which identifies objectives
for the group and practitioners and thus,
by way of review, promotes the
development of good practice on an
annual basis.
All information shared is kept confidential
to the meeting. Where the action plan
requires disclosure to a third party this
can be authorised by the agreement of
the meeting. This is always done within
the principle of balancing the rights of
the individual against the need to protect
the public from the risk posed.
Examples of where disclosure has
occurred in this area are: -
The chair of the meeting is responsible
for ensuring that all actions required are
clearly understood, assigned to specific
individuals and carried out.
The existing groups are currently
discussing the commonality of their roles
with a view to considering merging into
one Public Protection Strategy Group
covering both Sex Offenders and Other
Dangerous People.
● The Headmaster of a school was
notified of a ‘Dangerous Person’ living
within the locality of the school with
appropriate advice provided as to
protective actions that could be taken.
● A leisure centre manager was
informed by the police of a Registered
Sex Offender who should not be
allowed access when children were
present and using swimming pool
facilities.
● A bus company manager was
informed that an employee, a
Registered Sex Offender, should not
be allowed to drive a school bus.
● A parent, of a victim abused by a
friend who became a Registered Sex
Offender, was informed by the police
of the management plan in place to
protect her child and other children.
A programme of public awareness of
6.0 Victims Work
Section 69 of the Criminal Justice and
Court Services Act 2000 places a duty
upon the National Probation Service,
Cheshire to contact victims and ask if they
wish to be consulted about the release
arrangements for violent and sexual
offenders sentenced to 12 months custody
or more.
In this area there is a specialist victim
liaison unit with staff who work exclusively
with those victims. They initiate contact
with the relevant victims who can choose
whether or not they wish to be seen.
Where a victim chooses to be consulted
about the case, the victim liaison officer will
normally meet with the victim(s) at a time
and place convenient to them. The majority
of victims are visited within their own home.
the measures taken to manage and
reduce the risks posed by violent and
sexual offenders will be conducted in
co-ordination with the publication of
this document.
Where contact is sought, the victim liaison Victim Support provides the Witness
staff enable the victim to receive information Service, based in every criminal court in
on the progress of the offender through England and Wales, to offer assistance
their sentence. It also allows them to before, during and after trial. You can also
express their wishes on the conditions that call the Victim Supportline – 0845 30 30
should be imposed on the release of the 900 – for information and support and
offender on temporary or final licence. details of local services and other relevant
organisations.”
Victim Support
“Victim Support is the national charity for The contact numbers for local victim
people affected by crime. It is an support services can be found in Annex ‘A’.
independent organisation, offering a free
confidential service, whether or not a crime
has been reported. Trained staff and
volunteers at local branches offer
information and support to victims,
witnesses, their families and friends.
Annex ‘A’ List of Contacts:
Cheshire Constabulary: Address Phone

Detective Superintendent, Crime Policy Police HQ Tel 01244 612000

Website – www.cheshire.police.uk Chester
CH1 2PP

National Probation Service (Cheshire Area): Address Phone

Assistant Chief Officer, Public Protection Beech House Tel 01244 394500
Website – www.cheshireprobation.org Sealand Road
Chester, CH1 4RJ

Victim Support: Address Phone

Branch Manager Divisional Police Tel 01270 212155

Eastern Branch HQ, Crewe
(covering Crewe, Macclesfield and Wilmslow) CW1 2DQ

Branch Manager Winsford New Police Station Tel 01606 557717

Western Branch Collinsham Way
(covering Vale Royal, Chester and Ellesmere Port) Winsford, CW7 2WA

Branch Manager Divisional Police HQ Tel 01925 419339

Northern Branch Arpley Street
(covering Warrington and Halton) Warrington, WA1 1LQ
Annex ‘B’ Number of Offenders

i. The number of Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) in the 329

community on 31/03/02 (s68 (2) CJ&CS Act 2000)

The number of RSOs per 100,000 population 33.4

ii. The number of SOs cautioned/convicted for breaches of 23

registration requirement 01/04/01 – 31/03/02

iii. The number of Sex Offenders Orders 01/04/01 – 31/03/02 2

a) Total applied for 2

b) Granted 2

c) Not granted 0

d) Applications still in progress 0

iv. The number of violent offenders and other sex offenders 01/04/02 617
– 31/03/02 (s68 (3)(4)&(5) CJ&CS Act 2000)

The number of other offenders 01/04/01 – 31/03/02 (s67 (2) (b) 6

CJ&CS Act 2000)